Most international tourist flying to Malaysia visit the state of Selangor first….without even knowing it.
The reason being that Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) is not located in Kuala Lumpur as the name suggests, but in the federal state of Selangor. Selangor surrounds the Malaysian capital just like Brandenburg surrounds Germany’s capital Berlin. Therefore, from KL its many touristic attractions are very easy to be reached.
History buffs might visit the old town of Klang where free guided tours are offered every Saturday morning.
Kanching Rainforest Waterfall, also known as Kanching Recreational Forest, is set in a forest reserve of nearly 500 hectares in the Rawang district just north of Kuala Lumpur.
Another favourite for nature lovers is Broga Hill which is 40 minutes away from Kuala Lumpur. With its 400 meters height it is a good place to escape from the heat.
Selangor is also the home of many religious sites. Built in 1996, the Dong Zen Temple houses a school of Buddhism, and is the cradle for the Malaysian young Buddhists.
Another beautiful architecture is that of the Blue Mosque in Shah Alam. The most famous attraction, however, is certainly the world’s tallest statue of Murugan, a Hindu deity, which rises in front of Batu Caves, which are one of the top tourist attractions in Malaysia. They are located only 13km from downtown Kuala Lumpur and thus easily can be explored in a half day journey. It is not even neccesary to use tour operators to reach it, as it is easily reached by commuter train from KL Sentral.
